ITV’s controller of drama Victoria Fea said: “It’s an absolute privilege to commission two further standalone Maigret films for ITV.

“We were thrilled to welcome Rowan Atkinson to the channel as Maigret.”

“His superb performance, and the filmic execution from the production team ensured the audience greatly appreciated the first Maigret film which aired earlier this year.”

Rowan Atkinson, best known for his comedic roles in Blackadder and as Mr Bean, will return as the crime-solving investigator after becoming a hit with audiences in the first film, drawing a consolidated audience of 7.2 million.

The newly commissioned two-hour films – Night at the Crossroads, Maigret in Montmartre – will go into production this November and wrap in February 2017.